Walangama facts for kids
The Walangama were a group of Indigenous Australian people. They lived in the state of Queensland, which is in northern Australia.
Their Language
The Walangama people spoke a language also called Walangama. Sadly, this language is now extinct, meaning no one speaks it anymore. It belonged to a group of languages known as Paman languages.
In the 1880s, a police inspector named William Armit noticed something special. He wrote that the Walangama language was very different from the languages spoken by nearby groups. He found it unusual to see a language so unique in Australia.
Later, in 1938, a lot of Walangama words were written down. This was done by collecting information from people who remembered the language.
Their Land
The Walangama people lived on a large area of land. Experts believe their territory covered about 3,200 square miles (8,300 square kilometers). This area was around the Carron River and Walker Creek.
Their land stretched west towards Maggieville and Normanton. To the east, their border was near Croydon. South of them, their territory reached the start of Belmore Creek. To the north, their land went up to Stirling, along the southern side of the Gilbert River.
The People
In 1882, Police Inspector William Armit described the Walangama people. He wrote that they were strong and athletic. He noted their coppery skin color and curly hair.
Other Names for Walangama
The Walangama people were also known by a few other names:
- Karan (this name meant 'scrublanders')
- Wahlongman
- Wallankammer
- Wollangama
- Wollongurmee
Some Walangama Words
Here are a few words from the Walangama language:
- albeyarroor means 'mother'
- noughtnoommer means 'tame dog'
- oinger means 'white man'
- uwer means 'father'
